THE full title of this valuable work is Matla'u-s Sa'dain wa
Majma'u-l Bahrain, “The Rising of the two fortunate Planets
(Jupiter and Venus), and the Junction of the two Seas,” com­posed
by Kamálu-d dín 'Abdu-r Razzák bin Jalálu-d dín
Is'hák as Samarkandí. The author of the Habibu-s Siyar thus
speaks of 'Abdu-r Razzák.

“Kamálu-d dín 'Abdu-r Razzák was a son of Jalálu-d dín
Is'hák, of Samarkand, and was born at Hirát on the 12th
Sha'bán, A.H. 816 (6th November, 1413 A.D.). His father Is'hák
resided at the Court of Sultán Sháh Rukh, in quality of Kází
and Imám, and was sometimes consulted on points of law, and
desired to read learned treatises in His Majesty's presence.
'Abdu-r Razzák, after his father's death, in the year 841 (A.D.
1437), wrote a comment on Azdu-d dín Yahyá's Treatise upon
Arabic Prepositions and Pronouns, and dedicated it to Sultán
Sháh Rukh, on which occasion he had the honour to kiss
His Majesty's hand. In the latter part of that prince's reign, he
went as his ambassador to the King of Bíjánagar, and experienced
various extraordinary incidents and vicissitudes on that journey,
but at length returned to Khurásán in safety. After the death of
Sultán Sháh Rukh, he was successively admitted to the presence
of Mírzá 'Abdu-l Latíf, Mírzá 'Abdu-llah, and Mírzá Abú-l
Kásím; and in the first Jumád of 877 (October, 1472), under
the reign of Sultán Abú Sa'íd, he was appointed superintendent
of the khánkáh of Mírzá Sháh Rukh, where he continued to the
time of his death, which happened in the latter Jumád of the
year 887 (August, 1482).*
Among the excellent productions of
his pen is that useful work the Matla'u-s Sa'dain, which is in
every one's hand, and is universally known; and in which he
has given a general history of events from the time of Sultán
Abú Sa'íd Bahádur Khán down to the assassination of Mírzá
Sultán Abú Sa'íd Gurgán.”

[Mr. Morley in his Catalogue of the MSS. of the Royal Asiatic
Society, uses the above biography, but makes the following
additions: “In A.H. 850 (A.D. 1446), 'Abdu-r Razzák was sent
on an embassy into Gílán, and had scarcely fulfilled his mission,
when he was ordered to depart for Egypt, with the title of
ambassador. The death of his master, however, prevented his
journey.”

“In 856 (A.D. 1452), the Sultán Abú-l Kásím Bábar, passing
through the town of Taft Yazd, had an interview with the
celebrated historian Sharafu-d dín 'Alí Yazdí, and our author
was present at the conference. Two years afterwards he became
attached to the person of the Sultán Abú Sa'íd, who treated
him with the greatest honour; and in A.H. 863 (A.D. 1458),
when Sultán Husain Bahádur undertook an expedition into
Jurján, our author, who had been sent on a mission into that
part of the country, had an opportunity of witnessing most of
the events of the war.”